Crystal building pan



Filed boo. 19. 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 mm 2 Q2 May 24, 1932. T. RAY ET ALCRYSTAL BUILDING PAN Filed Dec. 19 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 W n W W 7722617?. Ray Wmas Fay ,d zdo 19 crystals Patented May 24, 1932 UNITED STATESPATENT OFFICE THOMAS RAY AND JOSHUA R. BAY, OF MANISTEE, MICHIGAN: I

CRYSTAL BUILDING PAN Application filed December 19, 1927. Serial 1T0.241,054. y u I This invention pertains to the general class of devicesfor the purpose'of evaporating liquid and separating crystals therefromand particularly to a device forbuilding up the 6 size of such crystals.In the use of devices in the prior art for the purpose of crystallizingsubstances and particularly when the formed crystals have a tendency tofall out of solution, it has been found ditlicult to form of anyappreciable size. The prod- .uct generally is very fine. In manyindustries, particularly the salt industry, it is highly desirable toobtain crystals of relatively large volume. In the salt industry, thedesirability of large crystals is well known, one of which is the savingin time in passing the salt through the centrifugals. Liquid is moreeasily thrown from the mass containing large 2 crystals. An object ofour invention is therefore the production of an evaporator in Which thecrystals may be built up to any desired size. A further object of theinvention is the production of an evaporator in which the size of thecrystals may be varied by a ready adjustment of parts. A further objectof our invention is the productionof a device of a relatively smallnumber of parts, of low cost. easily operated, economical in operationand of durable construction.

Many other objects and advantages of the onstruction herein shown anddescribed will no obvious to those skilled in the art from thedisclosure herein given.

To this end our invention consists in the novel construction,arrangement and combination of parts herein shown and described,

and more particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, wherein like reference characters indicate like orcorresponding parts: i

Fig. 1 is a sectional elevation of an evaporator with applicants novelarrangement and combination of parts incorporated therein; Fig. 2 is asection on line 22 of Fig. 1; and V Fig. 3 is a section on line 3-3 ofFig. 1. Referring now to Fig. 1, an evaporator 1 is shown with acalandria 2 incorporated therein, the calandria 2 being preferably of bythe spider 7 is an a vertical tube type and having a well at the Icenter. At 17 and 18 are shown means for withdrawing non-condensiblcgasesfrom the heating chambers of the calandria. evaporator has avertical shaft t extending The I therethrough and has a circulator5attached at the bottom of theshaft.

6 of the shaft 4 is journaled said spider 7 being supported from thebottom sides 8 of the evaporator 1. bluppoiited annular-shaped trough 9of arcuate cross-section. The inner pcriph eral edge 10 of theannular-trough 9 in the The lower end in a spider 7,

preferred embodiment is integral with the a bearing supporting the lowerend (3 of the circulator shaft 4. arcuate cross-section, then curvesfrom all sides of the bearing (.lownwardly, outwardly and then upwardly.The outer rim 11. of the trough is adjustably spaced from the inner Wall12 of the lower part of the evaporator 1.

The trough 9 is preferably constructed in The trough 9 being ofsections, each section being annular in form as clearly disclosed inFig. 1. Three sections 13, 14 and 15 are shown. However, trough 9 may bemade up of any number of sections. Each section may also be divided intosub-sections. As shown in Fig. 3, it is readily seen that bydisconnecting an outer section or sections of the annular trough 9 thatthe outer peripheral edge 11 of the trough 9 may be spaced any desirabledistance from-the inner wall 12 of the evaporator 1.

The operation of the device is as follows: Brine or other liquid entersthe by any suitable means. The circulator 5 is placed in operation whichcauses the liquid to be drawn downwardly through the well 3 and forcedoutwardly and upwardly past the outer peripheral edge 11 of the annulartrough 9. The liquid then flows up through-theculandria 2 and is heatedthereby. The heating of the liquid in the calandria 2 augments thecirculation, the liquid passing out through the top of the calandria 2and back down through the well As the liquid becomes saturated, smallcrystals are formed therein,

evaporator said crystals having a tendency to separate from thesolution, particularly in non-viseous liquids. However, if said smallcrystals are kept circulating with the brine, said crystals willincrease in size due to further deposits of the crystallizing substancethereon. By our novel arrangement and combination of parts thelcrystalsthe circulating brine or other'liquid and built up to any desired sizewithin reasonable lim' its. The crystals, which are of such size as tohave a tendency to drop out of the brine or liquid, when coming downthrough the well 3 instead of separating from the brine and dropping tothe bottom of the evaporator drop into the annular trough 9. As thebrine or other liquid circulates down toward the annular trough 9 and upthrough the-calandria 2, the brine or other liquid carries thesecrystals therewith, thuskeeping' same circulating with the brine.However, after the crystals have reached an appreciable size, same willhave atendency to drag along the bottom of the trough 9 and will finallydrop over the outer peripheral edge 11 of the annular trough 9. The sizeof the crystals is controlledby adding or removing outer sections'of thetrough 9. The greater the diameter of the annular trough 9 the greaterwill be the size of the crystals. As shown in the drawings, tworemovable annular sections 15 and'14 are shown. However, any number ofsections may be provided. Should the two outer sections 15 and 14 of theform shown -beremoved, a small crystal will be formed. -However, thesize of this crystal will be larger than that ordinarily formed in anevaporator without this form of our novel crystal builder incorporatedtherein. It is obvious, however, that the crystal building apparatus maybe made entirely removable from the pan. The size of crystals may alsobe regulated by removing asub-section or sub-sections of an outerannular section as will be readily apparent to persons tamiliar with ourinvention. The sub-sec tions as removed may be readily withdrawn fromthe evaporator through a manhole.

The pan shown has incorporated therein a novel dome 16 which is fullydescribed and forms part of an invention claimed in our co-pendingapplication Serial No. 377,798 filed July 12, 1929. Dome 16 is connectedwith ring pipe 20 by means of pipes 19 shown in dotted lines.

If for any reason it should be desired to circulate the brine or otherliquid in the opposite direction or in other words up through the welland down through the tubes, the space at the outer peripheral edge wouldbe closed by any convenient means such as adding another section. Inthis case a section as at 13 at the inner peripheral edge of the trough9 would be made removable and the crystals would drop downward in thespace may be retained in provided thereby. The operation will be obviousto persons skilled in the art in view of the foregoing description.

Having thus described our invention, it is obvious that variousimmaterial modifications may be made in the same without departing fromthe spirit of our invention; hence we do not wish to be understood aslimiting our invention to the exact form, construction, arrangement andcombination of parts herein shown and described, or uses mentioned.

'hat we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a device of the kind described, a casing, means for retainingcertain sized crystals in circulation with liquid and removing othercrystals from circulation comprising a calandria. said calandria havingupright tubes and a well at its center, a trough beneathsaid calandria,having an arcuate bottom, the free edge of which is spaced from saidcasing. and a circulator disposed above said trough and normallydischarging thereinto.

2. In an evaporator, means therein for removing certain sized crystalsfrom circulating liquid, said means including a trough, and means forselectively removing portions of a wall of said trough.

3. In a device of the kind" described, an evaporator, an annular troughof arcuate cross-section spaced from the bottom of said evaporator, theinner peripheral edge of said trough bounding an elevation at the middleof said trough, a circulator above said inner peripheral edge, the outerperipheral edge of said trough spaced from the sides of said evaporator.

4. In an evaporator, a casing, means therein for increasing the size ofcrystals including a calandria, and a trough disposed be-' neath saidcalandria having an arcuate bottom, the circumferential edge of saidbottom being spaced from the side walls of said evaporator.

5.'In an evaporator, a casing. means therein for increas ng the size ofcrystals including a calandria. and a relatively shallow trough disposedbeneath said calandria having an arcuate bottom. the circumferentialedge of said bottom being spaced from the side walls of said evaporator.

6. In a device of the kind described, a casing, means therein forretaining certain sized crystals in circulation with liquid and allowinglarger crystals to drop from circulation comprising a calandria, saidcalandria hav-- ing upright tubes and a well at its center, an annulartrough closed at the center thereof and having its free edge spaced fromthe walls of said casing, and a circulator disposed above said trough.

'7. In an evaporator, a casing, and means therein for selectivelyretaining crystals in circulation comprising a trough having itscircumferential edge spaced from the inner walls of said casing, saidtrough being variable in diameter.

8. In a device of the class described, a casing, a calandria disposedwithin said casing aving a central wall therein, an arcuate troughspaced from the bottom of said casing and having a wall thereof spacedfrom the casing, said trough being formed of separable annular sectionswhereby its diameter may be varied so as to vary the size of crystalsproduced by said device, and a circulator disposed above said trough.

9; In a device of the class described, a casing, a calandria disposedWithin said casing having a central well therein, an. annular troughspaced from the bottom of said casing and having a Wall thereof spacedfrom the wall of said casing, of separable annular sections whereby itsdiameter may be varied so as to vary the size of crystals produced bysaid device, and a circulator disposed above said trough.

10. In a device of the kind described in cluding a casing, trough spacedfrom the bottom of said evaporator, the outer edge of said trough beingdisposed in a plane below the center portion of the trough piece, acirculator above the outer edge of said trough, said edge being disposedrelatively to the casing of the device to provide a space through whichrelatively large crystals may pass from circulation.

11. In a device of the kind described ineluding a casing, ailevaporator, a trough spaced from the bottom of said evaporator thetrough having an annular depression, a circulator arranged above thetrough, said trough being disposed relatively to the casing to provide aspace through which relatively large crystals may be withdrawn fromcirculation. V

12. In a device of the kind described. an evaporator, an annular troughin said evaporator, the inner and outer peripheral edges of said troughbeing raised with respect to the annular bottom of said trough, a('irculator above the inner peripheral edge of said trough, a calandriaabove said trouglnthe outer peripheral edge of said trough being spacedfrom the inner walls of said evaporator whereby relatively largecrystals are dropped from the circulating liquid;

3. In an evaporator, a CfllfllldlltL'Hfi aunular trough arrangedimmediately below the calandria and being spaced from the bottomthereof. and means including said trough for circulating liquid inopposite directions through different parts of the calandria andretaining relatively small sized crystals in circulation, separatinglarger crystals from said circulating liquid and \vitlulrawing said larer crvstals from circulation. said troiwh 1 bciug \ariahlc and providingnicans regulatsaid trough being formed an evaporator, an annularculation.

In testimony signed my name.

whe

In testimony wlie signed my name.

reof, I have hereunto JOSHUA a. RAY;

reof, I have hereunto THOMAS RAY.

